"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Imagine me, still loving you
After all you've put me through
Well, I can't help it, I just do
Imagine that and that's not the half
Imagine this if you can
I've stood more, more than I should stand
But I'd still take you back again
Imagine that, ain't that a laugh
Can you believe I'd swallow my pride
Well yes, yes, I guess you can
'Cause you know you've always had my foolish heart
Right in the palm of your hand
So, for what it's worth to you
It just don't matter what you might do
'Cause I'll still be waiting and loving you
Imagine that, ain't that a laugh
So, for what it's worth to you
It just don't matter what you might do
'Cause I'll still be waiting and loving you
Imagine that, ain't that a laugh
After all you've put me through
Well, I can't help it, I just do
Imagine that and that's not the half
Imagine this if you can
I've stood more, more than I should stand
But I'd still take you back again
Imagine that, ain't that a laugh
Can you believe I'd swallow my pride
Well yes, yes, I guess you can
'Cause you know you've always had my foolish heart
Right in the palm of your hand
So, for what it's worth to you
It just don't matter what you might do
'Cause I'll still be waiting and loving you
Imagine that, ain't that a laugh
So, for what it's worth to you
It just don't matter what you might do
'Cause I'll still be waiting and loving you
Imagine that, ain't that a laugh
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